Spark-deflector for railway freight-cars



(No Model.)

. L. G. TERRY.

SPARK DEFLEGTOR FOR RAILWAY FREIGHT CARS.

No. 469,609. Patented Feb. 23, 1892.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS- UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

LOUIS CLARKE TERRY, OF COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI.

SPARK-=DEFLECTOR FOR RAILWAY FREIGHT-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,609, dated February23, 1892.

Application filed May 22, 189] To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Louis CLARKE TERRY, of Columbus, in the county ofLowndes and State of Mississippi, have inventedanew and Improved SparkDeflector for Railway Freight-Oars, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming apart thereof, in which Figure 1 is aside elevation of a railway-car towhich my improvement has been applied. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sideelevation with parts broken away to show the construction more clearly.Fig. 3 is avertical transverse section of the car-door, taken on line 33 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line ii in Fig. 2,showing the spark-deflector closed; and Fig. 5 is a similar view showingthe sparkdeflector open.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

In the case of cars employed in transporting cotton, hay, and otherarticles liable to take fire from sparks from a locomotive the insurancecompanies require that wooden strips or battens be securely nailedbehind the door of freight-cars containing such freight.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and eifective devicefor closing the space usually closed by such strips or battens, whichmay be readily opened or closed and which will be automatically held ineither of the twopositions in which itmay be placed.

My invention is embodied in the construction, arrangement, andcombination of parts hereinafter described.

The freight-car A is provided with the sliding door 13, constructed andarranged in the usual way, with the exception of the beveling of therear edge of the door, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

In a recess a, formed at the rear side of the doorway, is journaled arock-shaft 72, carrying Serial No. 393,759 (No model.)

an oblong door O, which is'capable of covering the opening between thesliding door 13 and the side of the car. To the side of the car A isattached a flat spring 0, which extends into the recess a, and-to therock-shaft b is secured an arm (1, against which the spring c rests. Thesaid arm cl is arranged at such an angle with reference to the door 0 asto cause the pressure of the spring 0 to tend to close the door 0 uponthe beveled edge of the door B, as shown in Fig. 4, when the device isin use and to hold the door 0 open, as shown in Fig. 5, when the deviceis notin use. The lower end of the rock-shaft b, which projects belowthe sill of the car, is provided with a hand-lever e, by which the saidrock-shaft may be turned. lVhen the door 0 is closed upon the edge ofthe door B, the space between the door B and the side of the carA issecurely closed, thereby preventing the entrance of sparks through thespace, th us avoiding the ignition of the contents of the car. WVhen thedoor O is folded back in its recess, it is entirely out of the way andwill remain in that position.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent The combination,with the car A, provided with the recess a in the side thereof, and thedoor B, of the door 0, provided with an operating-handle and with thearm d and adapted to close the space between the car and the main doorB, and the spring 0, secured to the side of the car within said recessand arranged to press upon the arm cl and hold the door O either open orclosed, substantially as specified.

LOUIS CLARKE TERRY.

Vitnesses:

W. O. RICHARDS, C. II. ROBERTSON.

